Are You Intolerant?

New Laws on food labelling of allergens for restaurants and food providers

At Cantueso we have long been able to help people who suffer from allergies and food intolerances because fortunately we produce all our own dishes and do not rely on bought in pre-prepared products.

However new regulations from December 2014 will cause considerable work as it will mean that we have to ask all suppliers of a raw ingredient to similarly identify what is in their product. Even the wine or oil we cook with will have to be analysed for the allergens.
It is estimated that 1-2% of adults and 5-8% of children are affected. This equates to millions of people throughout Europe with a food allergy, but does not include those with food intolerances. This means the actual number of affected people living with a food allergy and/or a food intolerance is considerably higher. (Interestingly when people in the UK were asked about allergies 20% claimed to suffer!)

An allergic reaction can be produced by a tiny amount of a food ingredient that a person is sensitive to (for example a teaspoon of milk powder, a fragment of peanut or just one or two sesame seeds). Symptoms of an allergic reaction can range from mild symptoms such as itching around the mouth and rashes; and can progress to more severe symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, wheezing and on occasion anaphylaxis (shock).

There is no cure for food allergy. The only way to manage the condition is to avoid food that makes the person ill.
When we re-open Restaurante Cantueso on the 20th March 2015 after our winter break, we will have available on request, a menu with the allergens shown and a member of staff to advise.

In the past we have helped many families who come to Cantueso with children (who it seems suffer in greater numbers than adults) and made sure we cook dishes for them that are safe to eat.
No doubt we will also have diners again who tell us they are lactose intolerant and carefully select their starter and main but when they see Carmen’s home made desserts, they look thoughtful and say “well I suppose a little won’t hurt” ? !

The new laws for food businesses relating to the labelling and provision of allergen information centres around a list of the 14 most common triggers.